City Beat: Barbecue, Cafes with Outdoor Seating, and Swimming

Barbecuing, cafeterias with outdoor seating, and good bathing spots – that's what we want now that summer is approaching once more. We have therefore put together three lists, one for each category, with our top recommendations.

Barbecue spots:

Slottsskogen – close to the public transport, beautiful park life, large well kept grass fields for picnics and sports activities, as well as two beach-volleyball fields make this as attractive barbecue spot in the heat of summer. You'll need to bring your own disposable grills though.

Delsjön – beautiful Swedish nature, with opportunities for bathing and canoeing in rented canoes. Barbecue areas are available by the bathing area.

The archipelago – the islands are beautiful during the summer. They're perfect on the really hot days, when the ever present sea breeze brings well-needed relief from the burning heat. Should the heat still prove to much, going for a swim in the cool seawater should offer a soothing experience. Designated barbecue areas exist on some of the islands. Ferries to the island depart from Saltholmen, which can be reached with tram 11.

Härlanda Tjärn – close to Rosendal, the Härlanda tjärn offers beautiful nature as well as designated barbecue areas.

Olofshöjd – if accessibility is paramount and lots of fellow students invited, maybe the barbecue areas at Olofshöjd offers the best solution, although you probably know this already :)

Cafeterias and afterwork with outdoor seating:

Haga – Haga is filled with cafes, most of which boast outdoor seating. Haga, with its cosey, slightly old-fashioned atmosphere is definitely worth a visit, if only to escape the busy city life for a short while.

Soldattorpet (Skansenkronan) – We wrote about this place a few days ago, so I'll just provide a link.

Linnéterassen – situated at Linnégatan (32), Linnéterassen is a popular place to go for afterwork. Unfortunately, they just wrote on their website that the afterwork is not available during the summer months. It is still very popular, but maybe a tad bit expensive for a student economy. They just may break the bank, so to speak.

Fank's Coffee – situated at Kungsportsplatsen, this place is definitely worth a visit.

Picnic – for the ultimate outdoor experience, a picnic is of course the best :)

Bathing spots:

Delsjön – apart from being a great barbecue spot and boasting canoe-renting opportunities, the beautiful lake is also a wonderful place to go for a swim.

Härlanda tjärn – again, a wonderful lake to go for a swim. Public outdoor showers are available after a swim.

Askim – while swimming in lakes is nice, the sea should be experienced as well, especially since there are so many wonderful beaches around Gothenburg. Askim also offers designated barbecue areas.

Hovås – another possibility for a swim in the sea on hot summer days.

The Archipelago – as was mentioned before, the islands offer superb swimming opportunities during those really hot summer days.